How to Prepare for College?

Whether you’re going to college for the first time or revisiting your studies for career development, college is a new experience for everyone. It can be exciting and overwhelming all at the same time and if you feel that way, we’re right there with you. 

We’ve put together 10 tips on how to prepare for college to help you get the most out of your studies! 

1. Budget

College costs money so it’s incredibly important to think through all the expenses that come with going to school. Create a spreadsheet if it helps to see it all laid out and try and break your expenses into categories.

First, there’s the costs of college itself: your tuition, textbooks and supplies. Knowing what you have to spend will give you time to save up or get a student loan. If you’re staying in residence or renting, that’s a cost you have to consider as well. You should also account for your meals and transportation. Lastly, don’t forget to give yourself some spending money. It’s important to treat yourself every once in a while too. 

2. Research 

One of our top tips on how to prepare for college is to do your research! Research as much as you can about anything that comes to mind. Look up courses that interest you, colleges in your hometown (or not) and get a feel for what each college has to offer. This goes beyond courses—do they have sports teams? Clubs? Extracurricular activities? These can all play a part in your decision. 

It’s also a good idea to do some research about specific majors that interest you. If you have an idea of what you want to study, that’s great, but if you don’t, researching possible majors and career paths can be super helpful.

3. Know your prerequisites (if there are any)

If you’re confident in the career path/courses you want to take, see if there are any prerequisites to the courses. Some colleges require a certain grade point average (GPA) to be accepted into specific programs, so it’s always good to check for those prereq’s as you do your initial research.

4. Take a campus tour

Before you choose a college, why not take a campus tour? It’ll give you a chance to see the space, classrooms and amenities. You can also take this opportunity to plan a potential bus route or commute. 

5. Meet with the career services team

Every college should have a career services team, or a team of advisors or counsellors that can help you discuss your career goals and plan your courses. If you’re still unsure about the path you want to take, book a meeting with them! They’ll be happy to help you walk through your interests and give you some course options that match. 

6. Create a comfortable study space 

When the big first day arrives, you’ll want your space to be ready too. You’re going to need a comfortable space to study when you’re not at school. This looks different for everyone—maybe you like working at the kitchen table, maybe you have an office or perhaps you have a desk in your room. No matter where you study, create a space where you’ll feel cozy and productive. 

7. Develop time-management skills

This may be something that comes when you start class but it’s never too early to be prepared! Spend some time thinking about your current time-management skills. Do you find it hard to stay organized and get work done? Or are you already crushing it? Regardless of where your skills are at, it’s never too late to build them.

Here are some tools you can use to manage your time:

• Use a planner. For some of us, writing tasks down both helps us remember them and keeps us accountable. Buy a fun planner to keep your due dates, assignments and appointments organized.

• If you’re into tech, use an app. There are plenty of apps you can use to track your deadlines like a Google calendar or Microsoft To Do.  

• Don’t forget to allocate time for work and rest. If you have a part-time job while going to college, you’ll have to study around your work schedule so it’s something to keep in mind as you plan your time. One last thing: take breaks! It’s important to give your body and mind time to rest and recharge before getting back into the books.  

8. Figure out your transportation

It’s a good idea to plan how you’re going to get to and from class. If you’re taking the bus, purchase a bus pass! If you’re opting to drive, see if the college has parking passes available for students. Or if you bike, have a look around campus for bike racks.

9. Know where to go for academic help 

School can be challenging and sometimes we need a bit of extra support to get through our classes. Most colleges will have a team of staff dedicated to helping students with their coursework. Whether it’s tutoring for math or helping with resume building, it’s smart to scope out the resources available at your college so you’ll have them in your back pocket if you need.

10. Apply for scholarships

This is something you can do before you’ve even graduated high school—and we encourage you to! Many colleges offer entrance scholarships to high school graduates with excellent academic performance. Many businesses will also offer scholarships to students based on volunteer work, academic performance and other community involvement, so do a quick Google search to see what’s out there. Every little bit counts and a scholarship (or bursary) could make a big difference. 

If you’d like to learn some of our study tips, check out this video: